Tuesday, September 04, 2007

The Coffee Diety

Now, I know I really enjoy my morning cup of coffee.I used to have a bad coffee habit. When I worked in a restaurant, I drank 7-12 cups per day.When I tried to quit, I managed to reduce the number of cups, but I really love the taste.So I decided I would let myself have one large cup of coffee per day, and it was going to be the best possible cup I could make myself.And it worked. I almost always have one and only one cup per day. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had two or more cups in a day, in the past few years.I buy whole beans, and grind them fresh every few days, I use lovely molassas-y brown sugar, real vanilla, and real cream, I occasionally grind a piece of cassia bark/cinnamon stick in for variety, and generally love the daily ritual.Oscar doesn't drink coffee. But he likes me much better when I've had it, so he shows his love by starting my coffee for me when he has time. He also checks to be certain I have enough coffee fixings before we go shopping. I gather from this that a coffee-free Diana is not a good wife to have around.Last time I went shopping I bought silk soy creamer "now creamier than ever" and opened it today. (I was trying to make my morning coffee healthier by reducing the dairy product component) I foolishly did NOT buy a back up of my real cream in case the silk soy sucked.The silk soy glugged out, the consistency of sour cream. It was fresh, but the overwhelming soy flavor made me feel ill. I tried, I really did to be glad of my coffee and sip it anyway, but it was truly horrible. As you know from an earlier blog entry, I have no problem trying exotic foods, but this horrendous manipulation of the innocent soy bean defeated me.I would go buy some cream, but my 'spoons' today have already been depleted by early morning housework. And if I go shopping in spite of that, I risk overdoing things, and missing lunch with my brother day after tomorrow, and I haven't seen him for a year. So I chose to remain home, finish the housework I can do, and live without coffee rather than risk not seeing my brother.So, I tried to suck it up, and have a day without coffee, I do have tea, after all, which will provide caffeine to keep away a withdrawal headache, I LIKE tea.. it's just not coffee.I have been keeping myself busy clearing unused programs from my lap top, and whatever else I can think of to do but I find myself reaching for my coffee mug, and pouting when I remember... (my internal editor says "What a Wimp!")I did not know coffee had such power over the quality of my day.Maybe I'll try drinking it black... yeah, that's the ticket... better black coffee than no coffee...At least that will stop my infernal pouting.

Addendum: I think coffee has an effect on my IQ, too. I remembered on my way to grind beans that I like Turkish-style coffee black... So I added my cinnamon, and a dash of cardamom.... and it's pretty good. I still like it better in the morning with cream in it, but it's perfectly fine for coffee after a lovely middle eastern dinner..

(image is a photo of a rose from my garden. I messed about with it until it reflected the deep dark gloom of a day with no cream for my coffee)

3 comments:

Have you tried coffee-flavored candies to circumvent the lack of real coffee?Myself, thanks to Papaw, I drink a little coffee with my cream and sugar. Tried to drink it black a few times (like Mom) and it did not make my Top Ten list. Sigh. Don't dig the fancy coffees, either; I am such a boring person!